Local Harvest Festival Coming Sept. 21

Emergency Warning Systems

There are over 50 outdoor warning sirens strategically located throughout Aurora. The purpose of the sirens is to alert people outdoors to come indoors during an emergency situation, such as a tornado or hazardous material spill that may affect the community or whole city. In the event of an emergency, the sirens will make a three-minute wailing sound. This means you should seek shelter indoors and seek out more information. There is no longer an all-clear siren. Residents and businesses should use their best judgment given the information available to them as to when the threat has passed. Sirens will be re-activated in the case of a new warning or a new threat.

Outdoor Warning Siren Guide

Sirens DO NOTgive voice instructions, so IMMEDIATELY find shelter and tune into a weather radio, local television or radio, or the city's Facebook or Twitter to get information on the emergency

DO NOTgo outside to find the origin of the emergency warning

The sirens may not be audible indoors

The city of Aurora conducts audible tests of the siren system two times a year. The audible test dates for 2019 are:

Tuesday, March 12
Time: 11:30 a.m.

Tuesday, Nov. 12
Time: 11:30 a.m.

Do not call 911 when the sirens sound.

Call 911 only if you need to report an emergency such as a fire or if your home or nearby buildings are severely damaged by a tornado. The 911 lines need to be kept open and available for medical emergency calls.

If severe weather is forecast and the sirens sound, it means a tornado warning was issued by the National Weather Service and an actual or possible tornado was spotted within city of Aurora's boundaries. We recommend using a NOAA Weather Alert Radio to follow severe weather conditions. The NOAA weather radio will not only sound for tornado warnings but also during tornado watches, thunderstorm watches and thunderstorm warnings. These radios can help you stay aware and save you and your family's lives.